The Rebel Trap by Lance Erlick

Book Review
Avatar of Fran LewisBy Fran Lewis
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In a world where teenagers are concerned about socializing, dating and going to parties what would happen if all of that were taken away?

What would happen if you were conscripted into some type of military service regardless of your preference or desire to do something else with your live? Boys are considered dangerous and therefore exiled to different parts of the world and if caught within the parameters of where the girls live, they are arrested or worse. Welcome to Harmony where everyone is anything but harmonious and where greed, power, control and revenge seem to be the main agendas.

Annabelle Scott, aged sixteen, has been washed out of the Mech program because she failed to kill her opponent in the arena. Strength, power and fear reign as Annabelle makes a decision that would change her life and the way so many others think about her. Did she purposely defy orders or did she see something in her opponent that warranted making her spare his life? But, she would be shunned, ridiculed and cast aside and thrown back into the police program under the control of a Captain thought to be corrupt and a Lieutenant out to make her life a living misery.

pSamantha Hernandez is the commander of the Mechs and she and Annabelle have a rare and special connection. Annabelle has brain implants that allow others to speak to her, cast their thoughts, control her movements and even monitor her every word. Even more, they are able to tell where she is at any moment and unless she manages to jam the connection, she cannot avoid detection. Added in she is made to wear special contact lenses which allow not only her but others to see what she writes, send images to her lenses and orders when a mission needs to be completed.

Janine Scott is her sister but only in name not in blood. Senator Scott adopted Annabelle and Janine is her daughter. Although close and never wanting to be too far away from each other what happens within this novel just might alienate them forever.

The Underground Railroad was responsible for helping boys escape to freedom and Annabelle’s adopted mother, Cora Scott, was a key player. But, things spiral out of control when she is questioned. Annabelle is forced to play two sides of the fence and with not only Samantha in her head, she now has the opponent she let live in the arena, too. Captain Voss and Lieutenant Scarlatti are her new bosses and they will go out of their way to torture Annabelle.

But, her goal is to find out just what these two are up to, what corrupt businesses they are running and why and how they find out before anyone else that boys are escaping from the many places that are supposed to be so secure. Oak Ridge Institute: Just what are they doing to the boys and why is Morgan, the boy who Annabelle saved, asking her to help his brother Seth escape.

Torn between loyalties to her family, her younger sister Janine seems to think that there is something Annabelle is hiding. The two become estranged. Commander Samantha Hernandez seems to be playing many different sides and at times, the reader might think she purposely endangers Annabelle’s life. Withholding information, records, files and not allowing her to interrogate the police or certain officials, Annabelle has to work long and hard and as Sam says, dig deeper in order to find the answers she needs to save not only the boys but bring down Voss and Scarlatti, but anyone else involved.

Throughout the novel, Annabelle is tested not only physically, but mentally too. Placed in difficult situations she is forced to choose between her family and her mission. Close to the border, special coating on shields so that no one will be able to see her, vehicles that can spot her if she is not careful, disgraced but only in name only not in reality, Annabelle has to use every ounce of her intelligence and strength to not only see the mission through and bring down Voss and anyone else that is working with her, but uncover exactly what they are doing.

When the Governor calls for the police to come to her home due to a disturbance somehow Annabelle is called in. She finds a dead boy on the floor in the Governor’s mansion. Just how he came to be there and why brutal force was necessary you just won’t believe.  But, the cleanup occurs and we meet more players. The Institute’s Director Margaret Devotte has her own agenda in mind. The goal of the boys is to get to the Outlands but with so many involved and guards on alert and Voss in the know, how could they even think to escape. Each time Voss captures more boys it makes her look ready for a serious promotion that would lead to a better position and more money.

But, there is much more as what is revealed and done to the boys that are captured will make you wonder if they have brought back the asylums of the early 18 and 1900’s. But, there is a Mole that wants to not only help Voss but also bring down Annabelle. The mole will make you wonder just whose side anyone is on and what exactly Morgan expects of Annabelle each time he invades her brain and thoughts.  What Morgan and Seth have planned you will have to learn as you experience it yourself. Whether they succeed, you have to decide. Oak Ridge Institute for Quantum Informatics is not what you might think.

With Annabelle trying to win the good graces of Scarlatti and Voss, Samantha hammering away in her mind and her contacts, Annabelle is often confused, torn and placed in situations that a 16 year old should not have to deal with.

The Underground Railroad: Can they be stopped? What happens when things come to a head and Janine wants to know why Annabelle reacts the way she does? Will she give up her sister? What is the real mission and why are the sisters caught in the crossfire? Antonia Rossi, Dara, Lieutenant Scandia and the Director, just who can be trusted? A facility that is a biogenetics lab. What their real purpose is you will have to learn for yourself as author Lance Erlick takes you inside the minds of some very dangerous people that claim what they are doing is for the betterment of everyone but in order to succeed they need to complete their experiments on some innocent boys? Just how will the world fair without men? Just how will children come into this world?

Leaders want an all-female healthy society but how will that be achieved? Loyalties, friendships, family ties, visions, career, moral and ethical issues are brought to light as once again author Lance Erlick provides a story line that will give both teens, young adults and adults much pause for thought and discussion. What would you do if you were Annabelle? What about her relationship with Janine? What is next for the sisters and will they survive the final outcome? The Rebel Trap: Who gets snared?

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Avatar of Fran Lewis
Fran Lewis

Born in the South Bronx, I grew up with people from many ethnic backgrounds. I learned to play and work with children in my school that came from other countries and different places.
I was always over weight as a child and got picked on a lot by the other children in my class and even my teachers. I found it hard to do many of the sporting activities that my sister and cousins could do. I learned at an early age that kids can be mean and I promised myself that I would never retaliate or do mean things to other kids in return.

When I decided to write my short stories I realized that I had a lot to say about my youth and in both of my books I tell about a ten year old girl named Bertha who learns to deal with real life issues kids face today at home and in school.

As an educator I the New York City Public Schools for over 36 years, I realized just how unique and precious our children are. I was the reading and writing staff developer in my school and the dean. I loved the children and had the respect of my fellow teachers and parents. Teaching children to read was really very rewarding and introducing them to writing and creating their own stories was exciting for the students. I love reading different kinds of books in many different genres. I have started reviewing books of new authors and those that are more established. I love giving them great reviews and saying wonderful things about their writing. I have three Masters Degrees and PD in Supervision and Administration. Currently I am a member of Who’s Who is America’s Teachers and Who’s Who of America’s Executives from Cambridge. In addition, she is the author of three children’s books and a fourth that has just been published on Alzheimer's Disease in order to honor her mom and help create more awareness for a Cure. The title of my new Alzheimer’s book is Memories are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey; Ruth’s story. My second Alzheimer’s Book is called Sharp As A Tack or Scrambled Eggs Which Describes Your Brain. This book should be out in June 2010. I was the musical director for shows in her school and ran the School’s newspaper. I write reviews for authors upon request and for several other sites. You can read some of my reviews on Ezine.com and on ijustfinished.com under the name Gabina.

Other accomplishments:
Book reviewer
Radio show talk host: book discussion with Fran Lewis and authors all over the US and the world- how cool is that I get authors that even request a review.
Would love to become an interviewer.
Caregiver and expert on Medicaid and medicare Author of five books and writing number six
The sixth book is based on a true story but will be written as a fictional memoir.
Worked in the same school for 36 years as the reading and writing staff developer I was the dean of discipline and assisted the Principal and AP when needed I was the test coordinator for the school and instructed teachers in testing procedures –administrated the tests and oversaw the reading, math and other tests to make sure that everything ran smoothly.

I am an expert in the ELA or any test prep for reading and writing
I can take an author’s book and even if it is not five stars write a five star review for them by looking for the soul of the book and for something positive. I am a member of Who’s Who of America’s executives, teachers and professionals and belong the Cambridge’s Connect and Pen with Sword
I would like to take my three children’s book plus the fourth one and put them together in one book. I played the piano as a kid and the violin.
I was in the Bronx Borough Orchestra. I played the piano in Carnegie Hall –that was scary. I do consulting for some of the teachers in my school when they need help with lesson plans. I love writing for Robins Falls Magazine.

I love writing reviews in my own style. I even find time to help my nieces and nephews with their homework over the phone.
Email: riffyone@optonline.net

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